VZCZCXRO2103
OO RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHNR #1237 1691140
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181140Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9915
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA  IMMEDIATE
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUZEFAA/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001237 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND A/S CARSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PINR PGOV MOPS SO ET
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - TFG MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY KILLED 
IN SUICIDE BOMBING 
 
REF: A. NAIROBI 1236 
     ¶B. ADDIS ABABA 1409 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  TFG Minister of National Security Omar 
Hashi was killed midday June 18 in a suicide bombing while in 
a hotel in Beletweyne (Hiraan Region), Somalia.  Former 
Somalia Ambassador to Ethiopia Abdikarim Farah was reported 
dead as well. No one to date has claimed responsibility for 
the deaths.  The death of Hashi, who was in Hiraan in an 
effort to rally forces from his sub-clan in support of the 
TFG and open another front in the fight against al-Shabaab, 
strikes a serious blow against the struggling transitional 
government.  Embassy is releasing a press statement that 
condemns Hashi's murder.  We have passed condolences to Prime 
Minister Sharmarke and are scheduling a telephone call for 
the Ambassador with President Sharif.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) TFG Prime Minister Omar Sharmarke notified Somalia 
Unit at about 12:00 P.M. (local), June 18, that Minister of 
National Security Omar Hashi and former Somalia Ambassador to 
Ethiopia Abdikarim Farah "Laqanyo" had been killed in a 
suicide vehicle bombing while in Medina hotel in the capital 
of Hiraan Region, Beletweyne.  The fate of former Hiraan 
Region Governor Yusuf Ahmed "Dagabeed," who was with Hashi 
and Farah, was not known. 
 
¶3. (SBU) As of 2:00 P.M. (local) no organization has claimed 
responsibility for Hashi and Farah's murder, but 
interlocutors unanimously assume that it was al-Shabaab. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Hashi's death, immediately following the death in 
Mogadishu combat on June 17 of Banadir Region Police Chief 
Ali Said, has further demoralized the TFG.  Adding to the 
government's worries has been comparatively heavy losses 
sustained in fighting in Mogadishu over the last three days 
(Ref A). 
 
¶5. (SBU) Omar Hashi had been in Hiraan Region as part of an 
effort to rally forces from his Hawiye/Hawadle sub-clan, and 
open a "second front" against al-Shabaab (Ref B).  He was one 
of the more experienced military personalities in the TFG and 
a key member of its inner circle.  Hashi was also a close 
embassy contact and reliable interlocutor on security issues. 
 His death deals a powerful blow to the struggling government. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Prior to his February appointment as Minister of 
Security, Hashi was a prominent member of the Joint Security 
Committee and Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia 
Interior Secretary.  He had participated in the Mbagathi 
talks and been a TFG MP until his expulsion in early 2007. 
Earlier, he had been allied to General Mohammed Aideed's UNC 
and was a former Governor of the Banadir Region. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Somali Unit has expressed the USG's condolences to 
Prime Minister Sharmarke and is in the process of drafting a 
press statement that will re-affirm USG support for the TFG 
and condemn Hashi's murder.  We are also arranging a 
telephone call for Ambassador with TFG President Sharif, who 
remains in Mogadishu. 
RANNEBERGER